Audio Project Finally

finally its here under MY SONG

Final Project

For our final project, we incorporated several forms of media and technology that we learned this semester. Our project focused on New Media in cinema. We incorporated the information we learned on audio recording, photo shop, and on video editing to compile this project.
We took several clips and pictures we found online and used them to create our final project. We scripted and recorded our own audio to play over the pictures and videos in order to better elaborate on the information we were demonstrating in the video clips and pictures.
We used photo shop to demonstrate the basic components of New Media and pixels and how that even though images appear to be real things, they are only images processed through binary. We had to even learn new technology in order to grab videos from the internet and download and edit them to incorporate them into our video.
The content that we finally decide to used included green screen filming clips and the digitally altered final product, pictures demonstrating that pixels and binary have become the most basic building blocks, videos demonstrating automation in computers and fractals in digital space.
The process first began with us formulating as many ideas as we could that related to the main points we liked and found interesting in New Media and cinema. From there we began to gather information and examples of these ideas and compile pieces that would help demonstrate the points we were trying to convey. After we had compiled all of our ideas and examples we set basic scripts as to what would be said to describe them. From there we began to edit and change our ideas, adding to some and cutting down or getting rid of others. We then compiled final scripts for each section then added enough video and pictures to fulfill the time that had been set by the audio. We had to adjust the video because it was clearly more flexible, where as the audio we had practically no flexibility. Once we had the correct lengths of video and pictures that we needed, we needed to compare them to the audio to make sure that each video clip and picture matches up correctly to the corresponding audio. Not only did we have to have a clip that made since, but we had to have the clip that corresponded the best.
It took a significant amount of time to sift through all of the videos and pictures then to edit them down and change them. It continued to eat up time making sure every piece of video matches up correctly to the corresponding audio. However the technology that applied to the project came quickly to us since we had learned to use most of the technology throughout the course of the semester. The only major problem is we originally intended to have a split screen part but i-movie does not allow for this feature to be possible without additional plug-ins.
Through the use of several forms of media and technology that we have learned about over the course of the semester, we were able to put together a video project with our own dubbed audio to demonstrate and explain New Media in the world today, especially as it is seen in films and cinema.

Final Project Proposal

For our project, we are focusing on New Media in cinema. We have decided to compile Lev Manovich’s most provocative points and visually depict these points in a film segment that mixes digital film, old movie clips we find in “the vault,” audio voiceovers, and still images. New Media, as Manovich defines it, is not confined to the use of computers or digital technology, which involves reverse engineering as a means to break down the whole (which was a staple of Old Media) to instead construct images, digital video, websites, etc. from the most basic building blocks (namely, pixels and computer programming code). New media has five main components: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and cultural transcoding.
First, to show the idea of New Media’s micro to macro construction, we plan to start our video project with a close-up on a single pixel and gradually zoom out to show the entire earth. Complete with sound effects, of course. This introduction will illustrate the point that the pixel has become the starting point and most basic building block for New Media.
Next, continuing this “construction” theme, we plan to highlight the evolution of closed interactivity to open interactivity. New Media’s closed interactivity representation of reality uses binary. We will incorporate real images, such as a real tree, alongside binary equivalents, such as a binary tree, to illustrate the naturalization of closed interactivity. Transitioning to open interactivity, we plan to juxtapose a CGI image of a forest versus computer code. The will also help demonstrate the modularity aspect of New Media including fractal structures and that New Media lives on every scale, from the small (the individual tree) to the big (the forest).
Also, we would like to show the process as it applies to film and cinema, as this is our main focus. Through this we will show finished products alongside the actual process and true reality that goes into making these products. This will include showing how green screen is used to make complex images and backgrounds that would otherwise be impossible (or at least extremely hard) to show or represent in true reality. As this process is applied to many films, we will use clips from these films as well as pictures and clips of how they were truly shot to show the development of the finished product versus the true reality of what occurred. The automation aspect of New Media can be represented by this green screen versus finished product juxtaposition as it shows how human involvement in film (such as set design) has been (to some extent) replaced with computer programming of images.
After illustrating the live action versus production aspect of New Media, we will show the different aspects that go into making digital film. This will include live action material, paintings and drawings, image processing, compositing, as well as 2-D and 3-D computer animation. Just as we used a split screen for the live action, we will amp up the visual complexity yet again by splitting the screen multiple times for each component of digital film.
To bring in multiple forms of media and clarify what might otherwise be an eclectic compilation of images (as confusing as Blair’s WaxWeb), we have decided to use voice-over dialogue to explain just what we’re proving with these processes.

The process of our project will mainly be focused on old videos that we ourselves did not create, but rather will have to use to help illustrate our point. We will have to find effective video and images through searches and research and collect, edit, and incorporate them into our finished product. We have several films in mind: Alice in Wonderland (Manovich references this a lot to underscore the “rabbit hole” effect of New Media; we plan on muting the audio and adding our own discussion of New Media), The Matrix (to show a completely digital reality), Star Wars (the first fully digital feature-length film),and The Polar Express (Tom Hanks acting in front of a green screen for the whole time).
This will require us to use the video editing training we have received in this class to create the final product. Also, with the voice-over explanations, we will need to use the audio recording technology and equipment we have used in this class. And finally, we might even have to use our photoshop ability to manipulate digital images.

Video Project afterwards

so the day after we presented our project, my mom called me and asked me if i did a video project. apparently the high school wrestling coach (who was my football d-line coach) found the video and sent it to several teachers and coaches. eventually vince's dad, lodi, found the video and has been sending it to relatives and friends. as of last night, the video had 80-some views on youtube

Response to Glenn's Q

2. Is a viral campaign, such as the one used by The Dark Knight, a form of media?

Yes, I believe anything that informs and/or exposes the public to something is a form of media regardless of medium. New types of media like the internet (youtube) and street art (guerrilla advertising and graffiti) which are uncommon to traditional standards yet have become a popular form of expressing ideas, providing information, and advertising.

Video Project

Video Project essay

I enjoyed how the creative process in this project worked. Eric and I went into this project with ideas on how we wanted this video to turn out. We each had visions in our head of what the video would look like. When we went to film, we got a good amount of footage and (at least I) realized that the final product would not be a carbon copy of the original image.
My first idea was to follow the day of a Division-I athlete: from earlier morning workouts, through class, the practice, then late night studying, and everything in between. When I talked to my friend, Vince, got permission to film him, and found out what I could film the idea began to change.
When we shot the footage, we got something’s that I was expecting going into the shooting, such as an interview with Vince and footage of wrestling, but we also got things we didn’t expect, such as an interview with Coach Johnson, and didn’t get things we did expect, such as hard core conditioning.
We both began thinking of how we wanted to edit and mix the footage to get it as close to the new ideas that came into our heads. This technical part of the project is the part I personally found most difficult. I am not a very computer-savvy person and I am even more uncomfortable with Mac’s but we were able to create a good project. This was also the part were we had to take all the raw footage that we had and mix it together to create the idea we were going for. It was a very long process to take the clips and make sure they transitioned right and were didn’t cut off.
I found it interesting how my idea changed from walking through the day of a D-1 athlete to the documentary style final product. With the exception of the basis of the project, the project definitely had significant changes through the basic conception, shooting, and editing. Some ideas that were a major part of the final product did not come about until after the shooting happened. For example, I had no idea how I wanted to end the film until we saw the clips of Vince when he said he wouldn’t not wrestle, him jogging on the mats with a determined look, and Coach Johnson’s clip of saying that through hard work good things will come.
Overall, the most interesting part of this product was the changing ideas through the different steps in the creative process. From my original idea of how this would turn out with my basic conception of the project, through the shooting and what footage I wanted to get, to the editing and forming of the final product, the ideas of how the project will turn out changed significantly between and during each step.

Response to Ashley's Q

2. What are some of the challenges of collaborative authorship?

The challenges faced in collaborative authorship can be a whole number of different things. With collaborations, the different authors may have different ideas of where they want to go and what they want to do. The creative process can branch off into two (or more) separate entities and there will then be another struggle to try and bring the ideas back into one big idea. Problems can also be as small as who's name goes first like in one of the quotes from the reading.

Reading Q's

1. How important do you feel the reading on cooperation and working together is for our upcoming project?

2. Do you feel it will be difficult to balance the work (having equal contribution to the video and the written assignment)?

3. What do you feel the biggest challenge with working with someone else will be (finding time that works for both of you, coming up with ideas that you both agree on, like in one of the quotes from the reading: who's name goes first, etc)?

link

I encountered a major problem trying to load the file to Garage Band. This was part of a bigger problem of me putting this assignment off until after it was due. Since I needed to get at least partial credit on the project I decided to post it without sound effects, which will be a major harm to my grade. If I had not put this off I would have been able to learn more on the software I am using and been able to get able and complete the project how I intended to. On the optimistic side, at least now I know I cannot put projects off and must work harder on my next one.
I feel that, even if I had been able to figure out how to load the file onto Garage Band, I would still have problems syncing the effects with their cues in the original audio story. I feel it would have been difficult to put them at just the right moment so the right part of each effect is heard at the right moment.
One other problem I did encounter was in the recording of the original audio. During the recording process, I repeatedly had to re-record the piece. Sometimes I would mess up what I was trying to read and then try and correct myself and ruin the audio even further. Other times there would be loud blowing sounds or moving sounds if I was touching or speaking to closely in the microphone.
For what I read off of, I wrote out almost word for word what I was going to say. This proved to be more hurtful than helpful and it would have been easier if I had just read off of an outline instead. Reading of something word for word gives a reader very little wiggle room. If even the slightest mistake or hesitation is made it is very noticeable and stands out in a very bad way. As for the content, I am beginning to feel repetitive with the theme of drunken odysseys.
Overall, I do not consider this project to be a success on my part. While it had potentional, my horrible habit of procrastination hindered the project more and more until it became a late project that is not even fully completed.

Here is a copy of the script which I read from. Cues are Included.

We’ve all seen those teen films, how every single one seems to end the night of the prom. We probably all have prom stories of our own—some sigfinicant some stupid… this is one of the latter.
(party chatter)
The after prom party my senior year was at my friend Pat’s house. As with most parties at Pat’s house, this one stretched into the deep hours of the night.
Now some time around 4:30—and I’m just completely guessing here—this is entirely from memory—which but that point was a little hazy
But some time around 4:30, my friend Brad and I got the beer munchies. Now there is this truck stop just outside of our town called “The Rat”… well really its called The River Restaurant but we call it “The Rat” for the obvious reason that it’s the dirtiest place anyone could probably ever eat at. Unfortunately, Brad and I were both incapable of driving and 17 which made us out past curfew
Then brilliance struck us… get someone else to drive us and not get pulled over
“Who’s sober and wants to go to The Rat!?” We would slur to no one in particular as we stumbled around the party.
Fortunately we found someone who was sober and willing to drive… unfortunately she was a 15 year old sophomore with a permit—but hey desperate times call for desperate measures.
(truck starting)
We left the party and hit the road with Brad and I equipped with three road beers apiece—I know probably not the smartest choice. But we were doing fine that is until—
(police siren passing)
“Wait I know a back way, we’ll be fine” I said thinking that we could have to avoid the cop-who was clearly already on a call.
Now to get to the rat we would typically head northwest into town then west to the edge of town then north two miles on the interstate and we would be there. My route took us a mile south, then two miles east, four miles north, three miles west, a half mile north, three miles west and another half mile south on to the interstate exit we needed to get to. And for some reason this 14 mile journey took us roughly 45 minutes. By the time we had pulled into the parking lot, Brad and I were finishing our last beers and we could see light to the east.
We entered the restaurant part of the truck stop and were seated. A six foot tall, hunch backed waitress with three teeth took our order. This particular waitress, who is known only as Tina Toast, is surprisingly popular with the drunk high school kids who frequent The Rat every weekend.
While waiting for our orders, Brad and I decided to check out the ultra-classy porn selection in the convenient store attached to the restaurant. When we asked to see the porn, the lady behind the counter pulled out a cardboard box with a small pile of DVDs inside and said in her smokers voice “I don’t know what’s in there.” While rummaging through we found several hilarious selections: Double Midgetation- which had two female little people—is the the politically correct phrase? Little people?—on the cover, Globo-Butts-which I can only assume involves women with nice rears in different parts of the world, and one odd DVD that had everything written in Spanish except the word “anal.”
Upon returning to our seats, we happened to notice a phone on the ledge next to our booth. I picked it up thinking it would be disconnecte but got dial tone.
(dial tone)
Being as resourceful as he is, Brad grabbed the phone and proceeded to make several phone calls.
(phone dialing)
Over the next few minutes over our delicious breakfast, he informed his girlfriend he would be over in a half hour, told our friend Andy he is gonna finger his butthole, and requested a Backstreet Boys song on a local country station. By the time we had left, the sun was rising and I was full.
While most peoples prom memories involve significant like losing your virginity or enjoying being with all of your friends one last time before graduation, mine involved an unbelievable long 14 mile drive, immature phone calls, creepy pornos, and a breakfast that made everything worth it.

link

Response to Chika's Q

How will the use of multi-modal composition evolve? What else is left to improve on?

I believe that there is room for improvement in tactil forms of media. improvements have come in video, picture, and sound in recent years, especially with the digital forms of the three of these medias. Tactil still requires people to be around the form of media in person where as all others can be accessed at pretty much anytime from anywhere. However, it will require a lot of technology and creativity for this to evolve to the point of the other forms of media

3 Questions

1. How does the soundness of a piece help the pieces overall idea or argument?

2. When languages 1st began to develop they were only spoken. eventually written symbols began to be a part of every language. today, in formal written pieces correct grammar is very complex yet can ultimately be related back to if it sounds correct when saying it outloud. Why is this so?

3. Do you find it ironic that a piece explaining the importance of sound to help make a message more clear was almost impossible to read due to its super formal style in which it was written?

Response to Q

1. McKee opens her essay by recognizing all the ambiance noises that we seldom take note of. Stop now and listen. Type out what you hear. How do these sounds shape what you write (other than being the answer to the question, you card you)?

The only thing i am really listening to is the music playing on the youtube video on the projector but i can also hear several people clicking and typing as well as someone sniffling and a few people readjusting there chairs. I would have noticed none of this besides the music if this question had not been possed.

3 Q's on reading

1. Early in the semester a you tube video was posted of a fake trailer to the Shining with happy music and a different storyline voice over to it. Why do you think we associate certain music and background sounds with happiness and others with horror and suspense? What would our opinions of horror films like the Shining be if they did not contain the suspenseful music?
2. All people with hearing generally relate to these background music and sounds the same. Do you think people who are deaf could some how react the same? I tend to notice the suspenseful music during films. Do you think that people with hearing loss do not key into these moments with out certain sounds?
3. With all the noise around us, how can we focus in on one sound and only listen that and almost block out all the other sounds we hear?

DRINK RESPONSIBLY

In making this project, the largest problem I encountered was acquiring a camera from a friend. After getting the camera, I staged all of the pictures in my apartment with the help of my roommate. I had plenty of left over “supplies” from the weekend to use in the pictures. The entire operations actually took very little time after I was finally able to find a friend whose camera I could borrow.

As for taking the pictures themselves, the main thing I tried to focus on was slight variations in the quality of picture. I would try and make a picture shaky and have one crooked and have some with flash and some without flash. This was actually a success. The intentional flaws in these pictures helps show the progressive stages of inebriation the drinkers encounter. The most significant change came in the final four pictures of the montage. The forth to last picture of the man throwing up in the toilet was extremely difficult to stage, as I wanted to get a picture that was extremely shaky to show that point of inebriation. Then in the third to last and penultimate pictures of the two drinkers passed out and in the final picture of the clock, the pictures are extremely still and clean as if taken by a third party surveying the damage. The final picture also helps add humor and contribute to the message by showing it was still very early in the evening.

I paid close attention to every aspect of the pictures. The background of most pictures is just plain white walls, in fact the only decorations noticeable in any pictures are the sides of beer boxes taped to the wall. This helped show the simplicity of what most college apartments look like and also added a one-dimensional feel to the drinkers. The extra items on the coffee table also helped capture the college male persona (as a completely empty coffee table is usually covered in junk and never completely empty). Adding the Maxim, tv remote, and Chuck Klosterman book on the table and video game on the floor helped give off the idea that these were the universal “every-man” college binge-drinker.

I also realized I needed to use mostly close up shots to get the idea I was going for across. With close up shots of the drinks and drinking games, it is impossible to tell how many drinkers are present. Besides the two people toasting in the first picture, the only other indication would be the two shot glasses, but it is possible only two of a large group were drinking shots. Eventually, in the last shots taken from farther back, the audience realizes that it was only two people drinking a significant amount of alcohol.

The actual amount of alcohol consumed is a complete exaggeration purely for comedic purposes, as it would be impossible for two people to drink roughly 60 beers in addition to several tequila shots and (presumably) the rest of a bottle of triple sec. The pictures taken with the triple sec and the empty bottles of liquor shows the desperation of severely inebriated drinkers who feel they need to consume more alcohol.

Answer to Erics Q

1. How effectively do you think McCloud crafts the comic-instruction in such a way that he -- pardon the pun -- illustrates the very points that he discusses, thus meta-commenting and reinforcing the lessons his character states? What particular lessons and images work well together? Which illustrations stuck out in your mind as aptly capturing a point? Why do did image, text, lesson work so well together in these particular examples? How, ultimately, does he reconcile LANGUAGE (of comics) and SOPHISTICATION?

I think the meta-commenting of the piece was a very interesting and effective way to present the information. It showed a physical example that also explained itself throughout the comic. I like how it broke it down with the repeat of the same picture 10 times in the beginning then gradually built back up by starting with basic symbols and associations before coming to its main argument. In this way, the images text and lesson all intertwined to help each other and represent each other.

3Q's

1. How do you think things in reality came about to be associated with words (why is a dog called a dog?)
2. To break it down even further, how did the first written languages come about? How did each symbol get associated with each sound?
3. As asked in the reading, why is our culture so in thrall to the simplified reality of the cartoon?

Explanation for Picture

For the visual media project, a piece of stencil graffiti with meaning behind was to be made. In the graffiti, the stencil of Mt. Rushmore also contains the face of current President George W. Bush. The piece is supposed to be a political satire and meant to draw out the irony of President Bush’s face next to the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Our current president is one of the most disliked presidents off all time. The four presidents immortalized on Mt. Rushmore are considered to be the greatest the country has ever seen. Regardless of one’s opinion of George W. Bush, he is definitely not going to be on Mt. Rushmore.

The text underneath the picture says “Dream Team.” The phrase dream team was first used to refer to the unbeatable 1992 United States Men’s Basketball Olympic Team. The phrase dream team now refers to a near perfect or unbeatable combination or group of people. Basketball is a game in which five players are on the court at once, and with President Bush, Mt. Rushmore has five presidents on it, similar to a starting line-up of a basketball team. This is meant to imply that these five presidents are the starting line-up of the presidential dream team, or this could be considered a monument of the five greatest presidents ever, which it clearly is not with President Bush’s inclusion. The text helps aid the message the picture is trying to get across with and comment that is as equally sarcastic as the picture.

In reality, this picture would be placed in almost any public spot. It would probably fit better in a more liberal-leaning area due to the fact that President Bush is very conservative, but since his approval numbers are so low it could truly go anywhere except traditionally right-wing areas such as the rural south, as this piece clearly has sarcastic bias against President Bush, his policies, and his conservative beliefs. It would have to be placed in an area where most residents have quick wit, a good sense of irony, and have a basic grasp on politics and world affairs.

So, through a sarcastic image and equally as sarcastic text, an image like this would show of the sarcastic dislike of our President George W. Bush. This piece would be found in most places where President Bush is strongly disliked, notably liberal-leaning areas, such as urban areas and the Pacific Northwest, but will fit in any place that is not considered very conservative due to the overall dislike of President Bush. And as stated earlier, despite one’s personal opinion of President Bush and one’s political beliefs, almost anyone can agree is will not be on Mt. Rushmore and is nowhere near the level of greatness that those on Mt. Rushmore are.

Question response

Eric: 3. The article discusses lots of bells and whistles to signify meaning. Different colors, boldface, fonts, sizes, CAPITALIZATION, etc. Obviously the usage and purpose of these modifying agents is situational, but is there a certain standard or mantra that we could follow that maximizes informational transfer in speediest, most accurate, most efficient manner? If so, what standards can we employ? Is less sometimes more, or should we always use lots and lots of "bells and whistles" to aid the reader?

I believe there already is a standard or mantra applied to maximizing accuracy and efficiency. In all of our term papers and essays we have to write for classes their is a set font and font size that we have to use and we are not aloud to use anything else. I do believe that it is situational as to if they should standardize type and text or not. Obviously some more formal written works will need standardization to keep the focus on the text, but other more creative works should be able to have whatever type and text in order to keep the writers own individual creativity

3 Q's

1. How do you think changes in Font, boldface, italics, Size of Font, etc. have people read the text differently? Why do we put emphasis on italics or have all caps feel like its SHOUTING?

2. How does a standardization of these variations of type and text in formal and academic papers limit the papers effective use of pathos?

3. On the other hand, do you think the lack of variation in page design helps or hurts the readers ability to focus on the content?

Probably everyone has already seen this picture on facebook but i couldnt find anything better to add also i'm two days late of putting in up.

Response to Question

Eric A: 3. What's next? Is virtual reality with 100% immersion the last best phase of media? What does 100% immersion mean, and is it even achievable? If so, what purpose would we have for reality, and how would we know whether we are in reality or living a so-called computer program? Matrix references welcome.

100% immersion in virtual reality is the ceiling of the best phase of media. In a world full of infinitives it is one of few ceilings. I am not sure it is achievalbe as far as 100% immersion is concerned. I do feel it will become a key sources of entertainment as today's video games let you create characters and allow you to live out their lives while other video games can mimic your movement. If 100% immersion is possible it would be like The Matrix. True reality would have no purpose and there would be no way of telling in which reality we were. But many philosophers believe perception is reality so in that thought process would lead to the argument that 100% immersion in virtual reality could be true realtiy.

Hey Look At Me!!!

Hey I’m Seth. I’m a junior PoliSci Major at U of I. I’m 20 but I also have an ID that says I’m 24 (well not me but some guy named Michael that looks like me). I’m a pretty typical college kid (I check my facebook at least twice a day). I hang out with my friends, drink cheap beer (Natty Ice!), and make poor decisions (like whiskey instead of beer for beer pong) when the 1st and 2nd mix. I grew up in a small town of about 5000 people. My graduation class had 99 kids in it in high school. In my town, you learn how important sports actually are at an early age (and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise). I played football and baseball in high school (well I was on the teams at least). I am a die-hard Cubs fan and will argue that the Cubs are better to the death. I don’t care that the Sox and Cardinals have both won recent World Series, who had the better record last year and who has the better record this year? I am a huge college football fan so last year’s Illini team was awesome (the Rose Bowl not so much though). I am obsessed with music (notably punk and pop-punk) and love to find new music, mostly on Pandora and Purevolume. I also play guitar (very poorly). I tend to be an abyss of useless information- I tend to waste most of my time online looking up random wikipedia pages and stupid youtube videos. If I could describe myself in one sentence it would be this: I'm not conceited; I just know I'm awesome.